


The Good Stuff

by Pixie_Queen24 (FallenAngel69)



Series: Domestic Cookleta [18]
Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-25 18:58:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18580612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenAngel69/pseuds/Pixie_Queen24
Summary: Companion Ficlet for Only God Knows Why/Walking Through the ValleyA peek into the future... :)





	The Good Stuff

David stood at the end of the brightly lit corridor, staring out the window as he sipped at what was probably his fourth cup of coffee that day. Sixteen hours—sixteen hours that he’d been at St. Luke’s Hospital. His nerves were slowly getting the best of him. He’d already paced back and forth in the waiting room enough to make Brianna usher him out into the hallway. “Your pacing is putting the rest of us on edge,” she had said. “Take a walk, Dave. We will get you if the doctor comes out.”

As he looked out the window, he reflected on the past and the many times that he had spent endless hours at a hospital. Some of those were in that exact hospital—some in others. He’d lost his beloved Cassie after months of fighting an uphill battle just one floor above where he was standing; his dear Vivian just two floors below. Those were just two of the countless tragedies that had rocked his world.

However, among the bad, there had been a few rays of sunshine. Both his son and one of his daughters had been born at St. Luke’s.  

David smiled fondly at the memory of the morning Addison was born. Cassie had gone into labor the evening before. It had been a long and grueling night for them all. He’d nearly worn a hole in the floor next to her bed but managed to hold her hand through every contraction. Sleep deprivation and what felt like a fractured hand had all became worth it the moment that he saw his daughter’s face. She was so tiny and so precious—so perfect. He had looked at Cassie as the nurse laid Addison in her arms and when she smiled at him, he knew that his life had just gained a new meaning. They were a family.

A stray tear spilled over his cheek; surprising him that still, after all those years, he still felt her loss like it was only yesterday. In a way it made him feel a little bit guilty. How could he still carry such a torch for anyone other than Archie?

Suddenly his phone rang, startling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen after fishing the phone out of his pocket. "Hey, Tori," he greeted his youngest daughter who was attending college in South Carolina where her grandparents still lived.

"Hey, Dad. How's everything?"

"Still waiting," he sighed.

"Ok. I just wanted to check in and let you know that I'm getting ready to board my flight home.

"Are you sure you can make it? I don't want you to miss classes."

"I'm sure! I want to be there. I only have one more class this week, and I talked to my professor a little while ago. He said I could just e-mail him my work."

"Ok then. How long is your flight?"

"I have a forty minute layover in Atlanta. I should be there by nine tonight."

"Alright, one of us will be there to pick you up," David told her as he heard the boarding call in the background. "Have a safe trip, sweetheart."

"I will. Love you, Dad. Tell everyone that I'm on my way."

"Ok. Love you, too."

As he hung up the phone, he felt a presence next to him and turned to see Archie standing there with a bright smile plastered on his face. That beautiful face, though several years older now, it still took his breath away. “Is…?”

“Yes!” Archie exclaimed with the excitement of a younger version of himself. “They said you and me can go back.”

David grinned, his own excitement finally conquering the anxiousness that he’d been feeling for the past nine months or so. “Well what are we waiting for?” He asked as he took Archie by the hand and began pulling him back down the corridor towards the maternity ward.

"Was that Tori on the phone?" Archie asked as they walked.

"Yeah. She's getting on the plane right now."

Archie beamed. "I am so excited!"

David couldn't help but chuckle at Archie's elation. It reminded him a little bit of when Jacob was born, except without all of the nervousness. "Me too, Arch."

~*~*~*~

Once they reached the room where the nurse had directed them, David quietly knocked on the door as he poked his head in to make sure it was ok for them to enter.

“Come in!” A muffled male voice greeted.

David’s smile grew wider when he saw his son-in-law, Ryan, standing next to Addison’s bed holding a bundle wrapped in blue.

“Daddy! Dad,” Addison greeted quietly as she looked up from the bundle of pink in her own arms. “Come meet your grandchildren.”

Archie wasted no time pushing past David to get inside the room. “Oh my gosh, look at him!” he gushed as he reached Ryan first and peered down at the sleeping baby boy. His eyes grew wide as Ryan placed the small bundle in Archie’s arms, startling the baby awake. “Look at you! Hi…” Archie looked up at Ryan with question in his eyes.

“Michael Roland,” Ryan replied.

By that time, David had made his way over to Addison’s bed. “You gave him my middle name?”

Addison nodded while smiling down at the newborn in her own arms. “And this,” she sighed as she pulled the blanket from around her new daughter’s face so her Dad could see her. “This is Cassandra Jaymes.” She glanced back up in time to see David’s reaction. "I wanted to honor the three most important people that have ever been in my life."

David blinked back tears as he glanced at Archie who was all smiles while holding Michael. "I love it." He pressed a kiss against Addison's head. "I am so proud of you, Princess. They're beautiful."

Just as David was lifting the baby from Addison's arms, there was another knock on the door and they all turned to see Jacob walk into the room carrying a bunch of pink and blue balloons attached to two large teddy bears. "Hey! You made it," Addison beamed. "I was beginning to think you were gonna be a no-show."

"Sorry I'm late. I had an exam first thing this morning, and then traffic was a b---" He caught Archie's glare and stuttered slightly. "Bad! Traffic was bad."

*~*~*~*

Later, after David and Archie returned home, David dropped into an armchair and sighed heavily. Archie was right there with him, sliding into David’s lap and wrapping his arms around the older man’s neck. “You ok?”

“Of course,” David responded. “We just got two beautiful grandbabies. Why wouldn’t I be ok?”

“You just seem somewhat distant. Is it because you finally realized we’re getting old?”

David chuckled. “Actually, I hadn’t really given _that_ much thought, so thank you for reminding me!”

Archie grinned and leaned his head against his husband’s. “I know there is something so stop trying to deny it.”

With that said, David knew Archie wasn’t going to let go of it that easily. “As always, you are right. How do you read me so well?”

“I just _know_ you _that_ well. We have been together for so long it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t.” Archie explained. “So what's up?”

“Just feeling guilty, l guess,” David explained with a sigh as he slouched back in the chair.

Archie closed his eyes and smiled empathetically, already knowing why. He'd seen the look on his face when David realized that Addison had named her daughter after her late mother. “Cassie?”

David nodded. “I was thinking about the day that Addison was born.  Seems like forever ago sometimes, and other times it feels like yesterday.”   

“Its ok, ya know? I’ve told you before that it doesn’t bother me. She was a part of your life. She’s a part of Addie. Nothing could or should ever change that. You loved her. I understand that, Cook. I’m ok with it.”  He reached up and placed a hand on David's cheek, running his thumb over a neatly trimmed beard that had, over the years, started to turn to gray. "It would be different if you and she were divorced, but she died. Neither one of you chose that, and I realize that had she lived, there is that possibility that you'd still be with her and that we'd have never happened.

"That's something I can't even imagine anymore. Life without you in it just doesn't seem possible."

Archie smiled, leaning in to press a chaste kiss against David’s lips. “I love you,” he murmured.

“Love you, too,” David replied, reaching up to cup Archie’s face in his hands. “Always.”

“Should I just head back to school tonight?” Jacob asked, laughing as he appeared in the kitchen doorway, holding dinner in his hands. “I mean, I can leave you two alone if you like.”

Archie rolled his eyes, a body language he’d grown quite accustomed to using after so many years of putting up with both David’s and Jacob’s antics. “Yes. Go. We’re busy.”

“Well, can I at least eat dinner first?”

“I guess that would only be fair since you did go pick it up,” Archie teased as he got up and ambled towards the kitchen. “But as soon as you’re done…”

David watched fondly as the two bantered back and forth for a moment before he got up to join them in the kitchen to get ready for dinner. "Where is Tori?"

"Oh crap!" Jacob exclaimed with wide eyes. "I knew I forgot something!" He was almost able to keep a straight face, but the look on both his parents' faces was priceless, and he burst into laughter. "I'm kidding. She's getting her things out of the car."

"Yeah, you could have helped," Victoria huffed as she stepped into the foyer and dropped her bags.

"I had my hands full," Jacob defended.

"You had two pizzas," she pointed out with a scoff as she went to hug Archie who was standing closest to her. "Hey, Papi."

"How was your flight?" David asked as he too moved to give her a hug.

"Why do they seem so much longer when I'm busting to get home? How're Addie and the babies? What time can I go see them in the morning? She sent me pictures but it's just not the same."

David chuckled, as she rattled on. He glanced at Archie who was just standing there watching with a look of contentment. David knew what he was thinking. He felt the same way. "Visiting hours start at eight."

"Can we eat now?" Jacob asked motioning everyone over to the table. "I am starving."

"You're always starving," Archie told him.

Jacob just shrugged and plopped down into a chair. He leaned over as Victoria took a seat next to him. "By the way, I had breadsticks too," he said before sticking his tongue out at her.

**Author's Note:**

> Although this is an old fic, comments are still welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated. :)


End file.
